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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Joanna Noëlle Blagden Levesque (born December 20, 1990), professionally known as JoJo, is an American recording artist and actress. After competing on the television show, America's Most Talented Kids, JoJo was noticed by record producer Vincent Herbert who asked her to audition for Blackground Records.

JoJo's self-titled debut album was released in June 2004 and has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. The first single from the album, "Leave (Get Out)", was released in February 2004. It peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was certified gold by the RIAA. JoJo's second album, The High Road, was released in October 2006, and has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. The album's lead single, "Too Little Too Late", was released in August 2006 and reached number three on Billboard Hot 100. The single was certified platinum by the RIAA. Her first mixtape, Can't Take That Away from Me, was released exclusively to Rap-Up on September 7, 2010. The mixtape is a prelude to her upcoming third studio album formerly titled All I Want Is Everything, which is scheduled for an early 2011 release through Blackground and Interscope Records. The first single from the Mixtape, "In the Dark", was released exclusively to Rap-up.com on August 30, 2010.

On February 28, 2011, JoJo revealed the new title of her third album would be named Jumping Trains, named after one of her favorite songs on the upcoming Interscope Records project. She will announce the first single and shoot a video in the coming weeks. JoJo also has a film career. She made her first television appearance on The Bernie Mac Show. In 2006 she starred in two Hollywood films, Aquamarine, her film debut and RV. She has hosted the Ultimate Prom, and appeared in the movie True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet, which earned her a nomination at the Poptastic Awards.

Early lifeJoJo was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, and raised in Keene, New Hampshire and Foxborough, Massachusetts. She has English, Irish, Polish, French, Scottish, and Native American ancestry. She grew up in a one-bedroom apartment in Foxborough, in a low-income family. Her father sings as a hobby and her mother sang in a Catholic church choir and was trained in musical theater. Her parents divorced when she was three. JoJo's stage name comes from a childhood nickname.

As a child, JoJo listened as her mother practiced hymns. She started singing when she was two years and three months old by imitating, everything from nursery rhymes to R&B, jazz, and soul tunes. On the A&E's show Child Stars III: Teen Rockers, her mother claimed that JoJo had a borderline genius IQ. As a child, JoJo enjoyed attending Native American festivals and acted locally in professional theaters.

At age 7, JoJo appeared on the television show Kids Say the Darnedest Things: On the Road in Boston with American comedian and actor Bill Cosby and she sang a song from singer Cher. After auditioning in the television show Destination Stardom, JoJo sang Aretha Franklin's 1967 hit "Respect" & Chain of Fools. Soon after, The Oprah Winfrey Show contacted her, inviting her to perform. She performed on Maury, on one of the frequent "kids-with-talent" episodes, as well as many others. Reminiscing, she has stated that "when it came to performing, I just had no fear".

Personal life
JoJo and her mother reside in Edgewater, New Jersey, and her recording studio is in Manhattan, New York City. She was home schooled for three years, has stated that "school was definitely a big part of my life". She performs well academically, receiving marks in the As and Bs.

JoJo dated American soccer player Freddy Adu from May 2005 until September 2006. Both met on the MTV show Fake ID Club while she was hosting it. JoJo made an appearance in the commentary box at a New England Revolution home game when they were playing D.C. United. Freddy Adu registered an assist in that game. A Washington Post article in November 2006 reported that the couple split after one year. JoJo mentioned on American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest that she and Adu were still good friends.

JoJo

JoJo stated that she was single on the October 18, 2006 episode of Live with Regis and Kelly. She was also in the October 2006 issue of Teen People magazine confirming her breakup with Freddy Adu. She said: "I'm single right now and it's good. I'm so young. I'm going to be 16 in December and I'm just so busy. It's hard if you also want to date someone who has a high-profile profession; we were just both consumed with our own world..."

Since 2006 she's a good friend with actress Emma Roberts, Sara Paxton and Robin Williams' daughter Zelda Williams. She appeared with her father on the Behind the scene of JoJo's "Too Little Too Late".

On February 28, 2007, she was ranked at number ten in the list of Forbes top twenty earners under 25 with an annual earning of $1 million.

In August 2009, she confirmed that she graduated from high school and will focus very hard on her future projects. JoJo was accepted to Northeastern University but did not attend; she considered majoring in cultural anthropology.

In July 2009, JoJo was ranked at number five in the list "Barely Legal: The 10 Hottest ’90s Babies" by Complex.com, after Emma Roberts and Willa Holland.

Aside from singing and acting, JoJo is also a supporter of various charitable organizations such as Boys and Girls Club of America, World Vision, She's the First, Make A Wish Foundation, and many more.